OK, I know we have a "stupid is as stupid does" electorate, but how can 65% of the country want out of Iraq but McCain be even with Hillary or Obama in latest polling? I can't square that circle. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/pub..._events/the_war_in_iraq/iraq_troop_withdrawal
I mentioned this elsewhere, but First Read believes as soon as the Democrats pick a candidate, either will get an immediate bump so that these polls are mostly misleading.
Iraq is only one issue, and its importance varies from person to person. I know at least a couple of people who would rather see us get out of Iraq but will vote for McCain, because they generally feel closer to him ideologically than to either Obama or Clinton.
I think it's more like people want to get out but want to come out a winner and/or can't bring themselves to accept defeat. So, McCain is appealing to those who naively believe that if we just give him the keys, he'll drive us through the Middle East obstacle course without another scratch.
I think in times of stress you go for the more conservative pick. Unfortunately, McCain knows nothing about the issues we are stressed with: the economy and war.
I would vote for McCain if I felt like he could end the war. I have no confidence in that. In fact, I feel like he is going to go searching for more war. The US has countless enemies abroad...as long as we feel the need to suppress them, we will always be in a war.
this poll is just another way of proving that the proud 30% will never be swayed by any such silly little things as truth or justice or logic or reality, they're red-blooded amerikans, dammit, and they'll go down with the ship if its the last thing they do...er well it would be the last thing actually, but you know what they mean, right? anyway nothing in this election cycle will touch that 30%'s position IMHO, better just to write them off as a group that might do anything unexpected like not vote for the reep any chance they get.
I'd guess that 80% of Americans think their taxes are too high and they don't get just results from their taxes, yet people still vote for Democrats. Voting isn't about 1 issue, but the weighing of many. so long as that is the case, you will find people who disagree.
Well, if your friends are fiscally conservative, I'm not sure why they would feel closer to McCain. Ooops. There goes another $1,466,666.66 to Iraq while I typed this post.
I'm not so sure that is true. I am sure that it was true many years ago, but my sense is that most people think income taxes have settled into a decent place. I have lots of friends of all political strains, and I don't hear any of them really talking about their fed taxes. If anything, people are bitter about property taxes, particularly as their property value appears to go down but their assessed values do not. More of a local issue.
Yes - Republicans have done a nice job with fiscal conservatism. Seriously, you don't need to go through life under hypnosis. Snap out of it.
I agree with you...and I'm probably going to vote for Obama because of it (that is, if he gets the nomination). All three choices for this election promise to bring us massive new expenditures beyond what we already have. Of the three, McCain will probably spend the most, and most likely due to war. If we have no choice but to spend, I much prefer social programs (even if I gag myself saying that) to blowing our money up in the literal sense.
I'm pretty bitter about income taxes, and I'm only in the 4th bracket. I used to not be so bitter, but then again, I used to not have to pay taxes to any significant degree. Do you realize how much it sucks to earn a dollar and have 28 cents already not belong to you? It will probably be worse next year too. I would probably be pretty mad about property taxes too, except I don't really seem them except indirectly (I rent).
I am fiscally conservative, but not a libertarian. I do see a real value in being a citizen of the US and I am willing to pay my fair share. Having said that, I don't like money being wasted and I like some fairness built into the system. Btw, I do think a scaled tax hitting up the wealthy for more IS fair because they/me get more benefits from our freedoms and citizenship. Also, with deductions AND that scale up to 28% the actual amount per dollar earned is much less. Of course, you then have FICA . . . . I don't want taxes raised, but then again, they have been lowered for most people over the past 30 years.
I believe progressive taxation is fair too...but in my ideal world, total taxation (including state taxes) rates would be ranging from 3%-15%...not 10%-35%